


Cinnamon Rolls are Coming

by sunshineflying



Series: A Song of Trash and Fire [19]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Cinnamon rolls, Food Porn, Kes Dameron - Freeform, M/M, Maree Dameron, Shara Bey - Freeform, Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving Dinner, cozy traditions, the Dameron family are the family Hux never had
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-21
Updated: 2018-11-21
Packaged: 2019-08-27 07:36:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,599
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16698157
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunshineflying/pseuds/sunshineflying
Summary: It's November 2019, a year after the porno shenanigans ofA Song of Trash and Fire. Hux and Poe, though they hadn't expected to be quite so successful, have continued to forge ahead in their relationship. Poe is ready to introduce his boyfriend to his family... but is this something Hux can handle?





	Cinnamon Rolls are Coming

**Author's Note:**

> Many thanks to all you dedicated ASOTAF fans. Thanks for encouraging me and Christa, and indulging our never-ending barrage of cozy side ficlets to the verse. I hope you enjoy this dash of Gingerpilot!
> 
> (PS: Maree is pronounced like Mary, and she's basically supposed to look like Cosima from Orphan Black. Literally just picture her and that's Maree Dameron.)

Ever since their premiere performance at Kanata’s and Rey and Ben’s engagement, Poe’s band BB-8 had been touring around the Philly area. Quite surprising to everyone, Hux attended every show. He never helped, never made a big deal about it - hell, he never even spoke to Poe’s bandmates. But he was _there_.

One evening after playing just down the street from his own apartment (where Hux had parked his SUV, the giant Lexus an eyesore against all the old, rusted-out sedans), the two walked back to Poe’s together. Hux walked with Poe’s jacket draped over his arms, Poe still too warm from performing. The brisk November air chilled him, and it was nice. 

November. 

It had been almost a year now, since their hookup that was meant to be a one-time thing. This wasn’t supposed to happen. Yet it had. “Hey, Hux?” Poe asked, breaking the peaceful solitude of their walk.

“Yes?”

Hux glanced over. Poe was disheveled, like always. Sweaty curls clung to his brow, and his cheeks were flushed. “What do you usually do for the holidays?”

Poe’s question caught Hux by surprise. What he usually did was sad and pathetic. 

“Nothing,” he confessed. “My father left for Miami last week, actually. Chances are, he won’t be back until after my birthday sometime.”

Frowning, Poe wondered, “Has it always been that way?”

Hux shook his head easily. “No,” he answered. “My mother loved Christmas. The whole house was filled with decorations.”

“So you liked Christmas until she died?”

“I wouldn’t say I stopped liking it,” Hux clarified. “I just never felt the need to celebrate.”

“What about Thanksgiving?”

Hux sighed. “That one is bittersweet. When I was younger, we used to make dinner together. But then when she was diagnosed, that all stopped. The first year, she tried, but then she was in bed for a week.” He paused. “She and I decided together to save all her energy for Christmas, after that.”

Poe glanced sideways at Hux, now unsure whether what he _really_ wanted to ask was a good idea. In silence, they climbed the stairs to Poe’s apartment. Poe already knew it would be empty. Finn had all but moved in with Rose. Come spring, the landlord was going to ask Poe if he was going to renew the lease, and that would be a whole _thing_. He was trying not to think too much about it.

Once inside the modest apartment, Hux hung Poe’s jacket in the hall closet, and then hung his own next to it. “I’m assuming you’re asking me about my holiday plans for a specific reason?” Hux asked before turning to face Poe.

Suddenly, Poe looked nervous. It was an unfamiliar expression for Hux to see on the man’s face. “Well, yes, but,” he rambled, “you should probably know I’m not trying to like, erase what you had with your mom, or like…”

“It’s fine.”

Poe pressed his lips together. They stood in the entry of the apartment, staring at each other.

“Just ask me.”

“My family was wondering if you’d wanna come to Thanksgiving this year. We usually just eat a lot and watch the parade, but it’s something. Mom usually puts on some Christmas movies after that. It’s super low-key but I told them about you and they want to meet you and -”

“And you’re rambling.”

Poe looked at Hux, absolutely unsure of how Hux was going to respond. He just watched nervously, expectantly. “Yes, I’ll spend Thanksgiving with your family.”

Poe’s eyes widened. “Really?”

“Yes,” Hux nodded. “I highly doubt they’ll like me, but I’ll give it a try.”

Poe beamed. His smile lit up the whole room. “Are you kidding? They’ll love you! My mom especially, I think. I swear, if you even so much as _offer_ to help her in the kitchen, she’ll like you more than me.”

“So I’d be meeting your mother and father?” Hux asked.

“And the dogs and my sister, probably.”

Hux looked surprised, and asked, “You have a sister?”

He walked into the kitchen, navigating it as though it were his own. He put two mugs on the counter and rummaged through the cupboards for what he wanted. The cupboards were pretty bare-bones, but there was enough that Hux would be able to find what he wanted: cocoa.

“Yeah, just one,” Poe explained. “Her name’s Maree. She’s two years younger than me.” He sat down at the counter bar, watching Hux put some milk in a pot on the stove. “She’s a painter.”

“Does she make money with her art?”

Hux switched on the gas burner and then carefully measured out the cocoa mix. “Yeah, actually,” Poe answered. “She’s got a few pieces up at Magic Gardens right now, and she and a few art school friends just got signed to do a piece in the 5th Street Tunnels.”

“I see,” Hux replied. He stirred the milk and cocoa mix on the stovetop. “So your family is fairly laid-back, then?”

“I’d say so, yeah,” Poe agreed. “Mom’s a pilot. My dad does metalwork. Art, mostly. Sells it at fairs and stuff.”

Amused, Hux glanced up at Poe and said, “You make it sound like you’re a bunch of hippies.”

Poe chuckled. “We kind of are. Why else do you think they were so cool with me being a nomad for years?”

Hux continued to gently stir the cocoa mix in the pan. The room was quiet; Poe was weighing the pros and cons of actually mentioning what else was on his mind. Hux had gotten much better at reading Poe, though, so he urged, “Ask me whatever it is you’re thinking so hard about.”

Poe’s eyes darted up to look into Hux’s. It was now or never. “What happened to Christmas after your mom died?”

Nodding like he knew that had been what Poe was thinking, Hux considered his words carefully. “The first one, just a couple months after she’d died, I tried to keep it going,” Hux explained, busying himself with stirring the cocoa. “This was before my father began his annual tradition of going to Miami for the holidays. But there were _so many_ decorations, and he refused to help. I gave up. A lot of it is a two-person job.” Hux shook his head. “We ended up with a wreath on the door and that was it — which turned out to be all we needed because instead of gifts under the tree, I got a leather wallet with an AmEx in it, left on the countertop on Christmas morning.”

The cocoa in the pan began to boil, so Hux turned his attention to that. He switched off the burner and then carefully poured the cocoa into the mismatched mugs he’d pulled from Poe’s cabinets. He set Poe’s mug on the counter in front of him and tried desperately to ignore the sadness on Poe’s face.

“Do you still have all the decorations?”

Hux nodded. “Of course. They’re the only things of my mother’s that my father let me keep, other than the stuff she snuck to me before she died.”

Hopefully, hesitantly, Poe offered, “I could help you with them, this year. The decorations, I mean. If you wanted.”

Hux paused where he stood in the kitchen, mug halfway to his mouth. He was frozen in place. Were they ready for that? Most alarmingly was that Hux’s initial reaction was that yes, they were definitely ready for that. 

“Sorry,” Poe bumbled, taking Hux’s silence to mean that he’d overstepped. “We don’t have to. I mean —”

“Okay.”

Poe’s eyes widened, and he tried not to look too excited. “Yeah?” he asked.

Hux’s heart raced in his chest with fear and excitement as he walked around the kitchen island to sit next to Poe on a barstool. He was sharing a wonderful, happy tradition from his past with Poe. He’d never done that with anyone - not even Phasma. And in return, Poe wanted to fold Hux into his family’s Thanksgiving traditions. This was a lot. It was progress. It meant they were _serious_.

So why wasn’t he freaking out?

Poe pressed a gentle kiss to Hux’s temple as he sat down. “Also, I promise not to give you an AmEx or a wallet for Christmas,” Poe added.

Hux snorted in a rather undignified manner. When he turned to face Poe, the man looked so earnest and happy that it made Hux’s chest tighten. Poe cupped Hux’s cheek in his warm palm, a small smile on his face. “Thank you,” he whispered.

At a loss for words again - Poe did that to Hux a lot, these days - Hux just nodded. He let his eyes flutter shut as Poe began to lean in. Their mouths connected gently, sweetly. Poe tasted like beer and chocolate and that in itself made the corners of Hux’s mouth curve upwards in a smile. Poe was always so unapologetically himself. No reservations. Hux had found it irritating at first, but it had quickly become more endearing than anything.

Poe leaned away, pressing his forehead to Hux’s. “You know I’m never gonna want you to forget her, right? I want to know about your mom. What you two had,” he said.

Hux nodded. For as much as he wanted to be irritated by the softness with which they spoke, he found he really appreciated Poe reaffirming what he was doing, the place he wanted to make for himself in Hux’s life. And with that, the spaces he respected and didn’t want to take over.

“I wish I could have met her,” Poe continued. “She sounds really amazing.”

Hux closed his eyes. “More than you could imagine.”

Poe beamed, and then pressed another kiss to Hux’s lips. They breathed into it, enjoying each other, before they broke away. Poe hoped to meet Hux’s eyes, but the tender moment was gone. 

As Hux sipped at his cocoa, a thought came to Poe. “Hey, if my sister asks if you want to see a picture of me with my beard, just say no.”

Confused, Hux asked, “What?”

“Just trust me.”

Hux quirked an eyebrow. “Beard as in the facial hair, or beard as in a girlfriend to hide the fact that you’re gay?”

Poe looked at Hux quizzically. “You know I’m bi, right?”

“I’ve only ever seen you with male partners,” Hux shrugged. “I guess I just assumed.”

Poe laughed. “I had enough pregnancy scares in my early days, so I decided to take a break from women. Then I found you.”

“You’re aware of the function of a condom,” Hux said dryly. “Why so many scares?”

Poe sipped at his cocoa, cheeks turning red with embarrassment. “Well, you see, alcohol can really mess with your common sense sometimes.”

“ _We_ always remember.”

Hux had an answer to every argument, it seemed. “Yeah, well, we can’t all be as functional as you when we’re drunk, babe.”

There it was again. _Babe._ Poe had taken to calling him that lately, and he said it so casually that Hux honestly couldn’t tell if Poe even knew he was doing it. Even more confusing was the fact that it had been going on for weeks now, and Hux had never once corrected him. In fact, he kind of liked it. 

“So,” Poe said, waving his hand in front of Hux’s face to try to catch his attention again. “How about Thanksgiving, we go see my parents, eat too much food, drink a bit too much, and stay over. Then Black Friday, we’ll go to your place and put out all the Christmas decorations? Bake a little? Or is it just cooking that’s your thing?”

Hux gaped at Poe’s abrupt change of topic. “I bake, too.”

“Yeah?” Poe asked, a simple smile on his lips. “Did you do that with your mom, too?”

Hux nodded. “Ever year we’d do all the stereotypical Christmas baking - sugar cookies, gingerbread men, gingerbread _houses_ , Yule log…”

“A what log?”

Raising an eyebrow, Hux asked, “Your family never had Yule logs?”

Poe shook his head.

“It’s a giant swiss cake roll, sort of. It took me years to perfect. If you don’t make the cake moist enough, it’ll crack when you roll it and then it’ll look horrible. Then you…” Hux noticed Poe looking at him strangely, so he paused. “What?”

Poe smiled and shook his head. “Nothing.”

Disbelieving, Hux took another sip of his cocoa, a critical eye on Poe. “Can you finish that faster, please?” Poe asked. Then, he chugged his own cocoa and set the mug down with a thud.

“Why?” Hux wondered, still sipping and taking his time.

“Because I’m all keyed up from the show and now you’re like, showing emotions and stuff, and I really wanna jump your bones.”

Hux looked amused as he set down his mug. “Me showing emotions turns you on?”

“ _Babe_ ,” Poe whined.

 _Fuck_. That term of endearment shouldn’t have any effect on Hux whatsoever and yet it did. _Dammit_ , it did. “Fine,” Hux replied, taking another slow sip of cocoa. “But we do it my way.”

Poe’s eyes darkened. “And what way is that?”

Hux smirked. “You’re going to lay there and let me ride you. I’ll control the pace. I’ll have a say in when you come…”

“ _Christ_ , Hux.”

Hux downed the last of his cocoa and in a more obscene gesture than was entirely necessary, he licked the cocoa from his lip. “Shall we do this?” Hux asked calmly.

“Yes please,” Poe replied, grasping out for Hux as soon as they stood.

“So needy.”

Poe chuckled. “Babe, you have no idea.”

  
——

Hux couldn’t explain why he was so nervous. He had never once cared what anyone thought of him.

Only now, he did. 

They woke and showered, and when it came time to get dressed, Hux found himself worrying about what to wear. With as much subtlety as possible, he waited until Poe was dressed to choose his own outfit, to be sure he wasn’t over- or under-dressed.

It appeared to be a casual thing, unlike the formal dinner parties his father had once required. Poe wore flannel and blue jeans. Hux settled on his best dark denim and a speckled forest green sweater.

Poe drove them, of course. The Damerons lived outside of town, on a couple of acres with trees, a garden, and a few mutts. Maree lived in a loft in Philly with a bunch of other artists, but had also made the trip out. Hux found that for once, he appreciated that Poe wouldn’t shut up. It meant he got more details about Poe’s family before meeting them.

If only that knowledge were a comfort.

The house was modest, but looked warm and inviting. Lived in. “I was born and raised here,” Poe explained. “Well not literally born _in this house_. But they got this place from my dad’s folks as a wedding gift, so they lived here when I was born.”

The home probably held millions more memories than the Hux family’s mid-aughts McMansion. He saw a mismatch of vehicles out front - an old Subaru hatchback, a brand new Subaru sedan, and a rusted-out Honda Civic. And now there was Hux’s sleek black Lexus SUV. Why did he suddenly feel so embarrassed?

The lights were on and Hux could see people in the living room. The rambler was quaint and when he turned to look at Poe, Hux was surprised to see just how excited the man looked. Hux felt so nervous as they walked up the drive, onto the porch, and then paused outside the front door. “You ready?” Poe asked.

This was huge. Monumental. There was probably no going back from this.

Hux nodded.

As soon as the door opened, there were peals of laughter filling Hux’s ears, punctuated by loud barking. Three dogs bounded in - all mutts, just as Poe had promised. He bent over to let them sniff his hand while Poe tried to get them to calm down. And then a few moments later, Hux realized that all the Damerons were right there, gathered around and watching them.

Only one dog continued barking, but that was put to an abrupt stop when Poe’s sister shouted, “Muffin!”

The room quieted. The girl who’d shouted looked quite smug. She had Poe’s same warm eyes and dark hair, but where his was curly and soft, hers was twisted into thick dreadlocks. She held it back with a tie-dyed bandana, and it took Hux a moment to realize he was staring. Laughter pulled him out of it. “What?”

“I said, sorry about these mutts,” Maree laughed. “They’re really friendly, just very protective of the house.”

“Oh. It’s alright.”

Hux was dumbfounded. They were all so _kind_. Poe’s father extended a hand and introduced himself as Kes. Then, Maree officially introduced herself with a handshake as well. Then she introduced the dogs - Muffin, Hamburger, and Paul - and then in seconds, Hux was enveloped in a hug. “Mom —” Poe protested.

Poe’s mother seemed to insist, though. She wrapped Hux up in a warm, gentle hug and gave him a few seconds to adjust. Immediately, Hux sensed that Poe had already told them all about his past. Why else would she hug him for so long? 

“I’m Shara. It’s so nice to finally meet you,” she said, leaning back to smile at him.

She let go of the embrace and kept smiling, and Hux could see the same sparkle in her eye that Poe often had. “Hello,” Hux said awkwardly.

Usually he was so put together in front of people — closed off, but put together — but here he wanted to crawl out of his skin. It mattered to him, that these people like him. He couldn’t just be his usual cold, detached self. Poe’s hand rested at the center of his back as he suggested, “Why don’t we go sit down? Is there coffee made?”

“Of course!” said Kes jovially. “And your mom’s got some cinnamon rolls in the oven right now.”

Poe glanced to Hux, looking nervous. He really wanted this to go well. Hux was clearly uncomfortable, but Poe was so grateful for the effort Hux was putting forth. It meant the world to him. “I’ll grab you guys some coffee,” Maree offered. “How do you like yours, Hux? By the way, is that really your name?”

“Yes,” he nodded.

“Is it like, a last name?” she wondered.

“Yes,” Hux repeated. “But I hate my first name.”

“What is it?”

She was as argumentative as Poe, apparently. Raising them must have been a joy. “Armitage.”

Maree smiled. “We could call you Armie! Like that actor from that one movie. What is it? _Call Me By My Name_?” She was clearly trying to entice Hux, but he wasn’t going to budge.

“Hux is fine.”

Irritated, Poe interjected, “Maree. Coffee?”

“He never answered me,” Maree argued with her brother. “Stop being so impatient.”

Hux smirked. “I see I’m not the only one who finds your impatience slightly annoying.” He looked at Poe with amusement sparkling in his eyes. 

“She’s impatient, too!” Poe protested.

Maree laughed. “Coffee?”

Poe sighed, his hand lingering at the small of Hux’s back. “Black is fine,” Hux responded.

As Maree walked to the kitchen where Shara had just disappeared to, Poe led Hux to the living room. Kes sat in a recliner, the TV paused at the start of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade. Hux took a seat in the center of the sofa, next to Poe who took the end closer to his father. Hux looked around, unable to mask his curiosity. 

A fire roared in the fireplace, and on every wall there were various photos of the family over the years. He saw many of Poe, his curly dark hair unmistakeable. “If you like those, we have tons of photo albums,” Kes offered. “Plenty of bathtub pictures.” He laughed.

“ _Dad_ ,” Poe whined.

Hux looked at the men and he could tell that they were close, that there was no animosity in their exchange. Hux tried to tamp down the bitter envy that he felt. Poe was his partner; he should be happy that Poe’s past was happier than his own.

Moments later, Shara and Maree walked into the room, both carrying trays. Maree handed out the coffee, mocking Poe’s desire to have milk in his. He was apparently the only one in the room who took his coffee that way. Hux couldn’t fight the look of amusement on his face when he learned that. He thought he’d be out of place, the only one who drank his coffee plain. 

And then there was the food.

Shara handed everyone a plate, each of which held two steaming, massive cinnamon rolls dripping with the most delicious looking icing. It smelled divine. Hux’s mouth watered as he took a plate, and he was fairly certain that these cinnamon rolls may very well rival his own, or his mother’s.

Shara’s baking did not disappoint. Hux hadn’t thought he could stomach two full cinnamon rolls — they were quite large — but he surprised himself. As they ate and sipped their coffee, the parade began on TV. Kes would fast forward through the commercials and the boring stuff (mostly the commentary), and it was more entertaining to watch than Hux remembered it being in the past.

As they sat and watched, Poe shifted, one leg curled beneath him. His stocking foot bumped Hux’s leg, a gentle reassurance unnoticed by the rest of the family. It was cheesy, but Hux appreciated the gesture. Meeting the family, while rewarding, was also a lot to take in.

During a particularly boring part of the broadcast, Maree spoke up. “Okay but I really need to know,” she began without preamble. “Why do you go by Hux? Your parents don’t call you that, do they?”

“This again?” Poe groaned. “Give it a rest.”

Hux looked from Maree to Poe. “It _is_ a fair question,” he conceded.

“You don’t have to answer it,” Poe said, giving Hux an out.

But Hux was filled with the desire to actually make these people like him. Usually he didn’t care, but this mattered. This was Poe’s family. Poe — the man Hux would actually kind of like to keep around for the foreseeable future. Forever was a bit of a scary word still, but long-term. That he could accept. And long-term meant knowing the family. So he would make an effort.

“My father calls me Armitage,” Hux began. “It was my grandfather’s name. He and my mother fought and fought, trying to decide whose father I’d be named after: his or hers. They argued for months, or so I’ve been told.”

Kes paused the TV and Hux felt all eyes on him. Poe’s foot pressed against Hux’s thigh again. Their eyes met, but Hux knew he had to do this. He _wanted_ to do this. “It was either Armitage or William. Whoever lost, that’d be my middle name. My father is stubborn, so of course he won. My mother never did tell me how, or why she gave up the fight. But that’s why I have such a horrible name: Armitage.”

“William is alright, though,” Maree added. “Why don’t you go by that instead?”

Hux swallowed past a lump in his throat. His mouth felt dry; the entire Dameron family was a captive audience. “I did, for a while. Most of the time.” He paused, and then explained, “My mother called me Billy, but only when my father wasn’t around. He didn’t approve. But thankfully, he was gone a lot.”

“So we can call you Billy?” Maree wondered.

“I haven’t answered to that name in many, many years.”

He had a far-off look in his eyes, one that Kes picked up on right away. “Don’t you listen to Maree, now. She’s just a pest,” Kes interjected gruffly. “We’ll call you whatever you want.”

Though he wasn’t fond of telling that story, Hux felt oddly at peace, knowing that it was out there now. “Please, just call me Hux,” he said again, practically pleading.

Maree nodded; his reasoning was sound, and in the end, it was his decision and nobody else’s. More than anything, Maree was just glad her brother had finally met someone to bring home to the family. She didn’t want to scare this new guy away.

“So Hux,” interrupted Shara. “Poe tells us you like to cook?”

“Yes,” Hux nodded. He looked at Poe for a moment, eyes twinkling with mischief. When he turned back to Shara, he said, “I do. Would you like help with dinner?”

Shara’s whole face lit up, and as she whisked Hux away, Maree confirmed what Poe had suspected between bursts of laughter. “I think she likes him better than you, now!”

Kes was laughing too, and Poe, for as grateful as he was that this was going well, groaned. Damn Hux, being all sweet and making him look bad. He never would have thought.

  
——

Hux certainly wasn’t going to be willing to confess it out loud, but Poe could tell that he’d enjoyed Thanksgiving. Poe caught glimpses of Hux smiling as he helped Shara in the kitchen, and they all drank too much mulled wine while watching _Love Actually_ \- as was the family tradition. Hux had sat closer to Poe than was entirely necessary, and pointedly ignored all the funny faces Maree was making at Poe. Poe happily kept his arm draped around Hux’s shoulder, letting him lean against him as they angled to face the television.

But then it was time for bed, and a wobbly Poe led an even more wobbly Hux through the Dameron’s one-story rambler to his bedroom in the back corner, across the hall from Maree’s. It showed traces of Poe — band posters on the walls, guitar picks littered across various surfaces — but was otherwise devoid of much personality. It was _boring_.

Hux must’ve said it out loud in his tipsy haze, because Poe replied, “I was never home much, so yeah, it’s pretty boring.” He shrugged, fingertips dancing across Hux’s hip after the door clicked closed behind them. “I got a few upgrades after graduation, though.” Poe tossed himself on the mattress. “Like this baby.”

“What did you have before?” Hux wondered. He tugged off his sweater and tossed it aside, mussing up his hair. His face felt ridiculously warm. He knew his cheeks were that undignified shade of pink they always got when he drank too much.

“A little twin-sized thing,” Poe said simply. He leaned up on his elbows, watching Hux cross the room to him.

Hux grimaced. He hadn’t had a bed that small since he was about ten. He was simply too tall. 

“It made prom night kinda awkward,” Poe laughed.

Now Hux just looked appalled. “You brought someone _here_ after prom?” Hux asked. “Who did you even bring? The poor soul.”

“I brought Connix, but I’m kidding,” Poe laughed. “Because it woulda been weird. We got a hotel room like all the other kids whose parents weren’t cool enough to let them have free-reign of the house.”

Hux’s expression faded at that, and he sat down on the bed next to Poe. He wasn’t going to dwell on high school. It was a part of his life that he’d permanently shoved away behind closed doors. It certainly wasn’t something he was willing to let interfere with this relationship he’d forged with Poe.

Instead, he thought about the home he was in now, the family he’d just spent the day with. He’d felt so self-conscious when he’d first set foot in the Dameron home, but not anymore. For reasons unknown to him, they’d all embraced Hux, instantly treated him like one of their own. It was so strange for Hux, because even at home with his own father, he didn’t feel this welcome or appreciated. And he certainly didn’t feel like he belonged.

“Hey,” Poe said gently. He rested his warm palm on Hux’s knee. “You okay? I know today was kind of… a lot.”

Hux’s eyes met Poe’s in the darkness of the bedroom, a little glazed from the mulled wine, but also full of something new that Poe hadn’t seen before. “I’m alright,” Hux nodded. The alcohol had loosened him up; he wasn’t afraid to be more honest with Poe, very blatantly, rather than in his usual roundabout way. “Your family is wonderful.”

Poe’s whole face lit up and Hux’s chest tightened. Had his words really meant that much to Poe? “I’m really glad you think that, babe,” he replied warmly. His hand found Hux’s hip again, and he scooted closer to him on the bed. “I wanted you to like them. I can tell they already like you.”

Unable to help himself, Hux asked, “Why?”

Poe chuckled. “Well, it’s probably got to do with the fact that you’re witty, and you’re not afraid to help them make fun of me. And you’re honest with them, and you helped mom in the kitchen… nice job on that, by the way. Making me look bad.” Poe paused and smiled at Hux, so big and bright that his eyes crinkled in the corners. “And because you make me happy, of course.”

“I still don’t understand that,” Hux quipped.

“You probably never will. I’ve just accepted it. It’s about time you do, too.” Poe shoved him playfully. “Now put on your pajamas. I want to make out with you.”

“Well,” Hux said dryly, though amusement shone on his face anyway. “At least you’re honest.”

  
——

They took their time waking up and rolling out of bed the next day, and from the sounds of it — or lack of sounds, rather — so was everyone else. Poe chuckled when Hux observed how quiet the house was at half past nine, combing his fingers through Hux’s messy hair as his arm draped around the man’s shoulders. He pressed a kiss to Hux’s forehead and said, “One of the few days a year we all sleep in. Even the dogs.”

Hux hummed in acknowledgement. After a few minutes of silence, the warmth of the bed too enticing to cause them to want to move, Hux asked, “Do you like dogs?”

“Yeah,” Poe replied easily. He brushed his thumb over Hux’s shoulder. “Do you?”

“I do,” Hux said. “We never had dogs, when I was growing up. My mother was allergic. My father didn’t have the patience. I always wanted one, though.”

“So one day if I ask you if you want to adopt, it’ll be a dog?”

It’s the closest they’d treaded to talking about building a life together. It’s also an open question that implies far more than just the ten to fifteen year responsibility of a dog. “That would be the ideal option, yes,” Hux responded quietly.

He grew tense beneath Poe’s touch and while it was a dangerous topic, Poe was curious. And after they were sharing so much with each other that holiday season — now that they’d been together for a whole year — it seemed an okay time to ask. “And the other option?”

“Children?”

This time, it was Poe’s turn to hum in response. He didn’t want to have to persuade Hux; he wanted to know what he’d say, no pressure. 

But there was pressure. A lot of it. 

“Do I really seem like the fatherly type?” Hux countered.

Poe chuckled. Of course he’d find a way to answer a question with a question. “Well see, you keep surprising me with all these things you like and do and say… I don’t know where the lines are drawn anymore,” Poe explained. “I bet you the rest of our friends would think you’d be a total grinch, but really, it sounds to me like Christmas is your favorite holiday.” He angled his head to look at Hux, who gazed off blankly across the room. His fingers traced shapes on Hux’s chest. After another beat, Poe prodded, “Kids, Hux. D’you want them?”

The silence dragged on forever. Painfully slow. Full of tension, full of anticipation. Hux mulled over the idea of honesty — how important was it, really? The last thing he wanted was for Poe to have that kicked puppy look, especially when they finally did get up and go back to face his family. Would they still like him, knowing he’d hurt Poe? And probably all of them, too? Most parents looked forward to the day they’d become grandparents. The Damerons struck him as those kinds of people.

But honesty. It was something Hux reserved for only those who really deserved it.

Poe deserved it, even if Hux’s honesty tore them apart. He wouldn’t lead him along. It wasn’t fair, and for once, Hux cared about fair.

“No.”

Nothing about Poe’s demeanor changed; he held Hux with the same grip, kept their bodies just as close beneath the blankets. And then he felt a kiss atop his forehead and Hux was stunned.

“Fur babies it is, then,” Poe replied simply.

Hux looked up at Poe quizzically. He sat up and watched the gooseflesh spread across Poe’s now-bare chest. Hux shivered too, no longer protected by the warm blanket. 

“That’s it?” Hux asked.

“Yeah,” Poe nodded. He made it sound so simple. So easy to understand, easy to accept. “That’s it.”

Hux shook his head. The pieces weren’t making sense to him. They didn’t click. He must have looked borderline panicked, because in moments, Poe was sitting up and resting his hands on Hux’s shoulders, his warm, gentle voice telling Hux to just relax. “Why’s it so shocking, me being okay with you not wanting kids?” Poe asked, feigning hurt to try to lighten the mood.

“Everybody wants kids.”

Poe chuckled. “No. Some people just want a partner. They don’t want to be alone.” He brought one hand up to cup Hux’s cheek. “That’s all I’ve ever wanted. Everything else would just be a bonus.”

“So it’s not a dealbreaker?”

“No way.”

Hux was stunned. He looked into Poe’s eyes, trying desperately to discern whether he was lying. But based on everything Hux knew about Poe and his mannerisms and expressions, he was being one-hundred percent genuine. It didn’t matter to him, Hux’s stance on children.

But — 

“What about your parents?” Hux asked.

Poe’s hand fell to his lap, but he didn’t show any signs of being upset or annoyed, or even the more likely emotion: disappointed. “My parents are the most chill parents on the planet. You tell them we’re gonna have fur babies, not human babies, they’ll still be over the moon and spoil them rotten,” Poe responded. He was so sure and confident of that fact, too. “Maree might give us shit, but she’s not going to be popping out babies anytime soon either, so.”

“So that’s it, then. We’re just… not having children. And everyone will be fine with it?”

Poe nodded. In hindsight Hux would probably realize he’d fixated on the wrong thing: not that he was worried what others would think of their decision, but the fact that they’d made the decision and were talking like they’d be together forever. It had only been a year. They weren’t engaged — hell, they hadn’t even talked about marriage, yet — but they’d already decided their stance on children.

It was ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous.

But yet Poe’s reassurances left Hux feeling the same way he had the night before: comforted. Warm. Like he was part of the Dameron family, that they’d somehow liked him enough to treat him like family, and to want him to come back again soon.

Poe pressed a soft kiss to Hux’s lips, pulling him from his thoughts. “We should get up. You can shower if you want.”

“There’s no point,” Hux responded. Poe wiggled his eyebrows, thinking Hux was getting at something else. But Hux’s expression remained stony and he explained, “We’re going to get sweaty and probably a bit dirty, putting up decorations later. It makes more sense to wait until _that’s_ done.”

“Two showers in one day never hurt anyone.”

Hux rolled his eyes. “That’s how you get lice. You will not get lice.”

“Why not?” Poe asked.

“Shaved hair is not a good look on you.”

Poe laughed, but then his whole expression faded. Hux knew Poe had once shaved his head? That could only mean — 

“You didn’t.”

Hux smirked. “You told me not to ask about the beard, so I had to ask about the beard.”

“ _Hux_ ,” Poe whined.

“I can’t believe you ever thought a long beard and a buzzed haircut would be a good combination.” Hux shook his head. “If you do that again, I refuse to acknowledge that I know you.”

“What, you don’t think I look good with a beard?”

“A well-kept beard is fine. What you had was borderline _hobo_ ,” Hux mocked. “And you have nice curls. Don’t let that genetic blessing go to waste.”

“Hey, your hair is nice, too!” Poe protested. He even shoved his hand in Hux’s hair and carded his fingers through it to prove it. “A little wiry, but it suits you.”

“Wiry is _not_ a compliment,” Hux said flatly.

Poe reached out and pulled Hux into a bear hug. “You know I meant it in a good way,” Poe cooed, laughing as Hux tried to push himself out of Poe’s stifling embrace.

Hux let out a growl. “Let me go!”

Bright laughter filled the room as Poe let go of Hux and smiled at him. Hux’s hair was a total mess and Poe _loved_ it. “Wanna go have some breakfast?” Poe offered. “I think we’re the first ones awake, or at least we were until you started making all those noises.”

“You _mauled_ me.”

“Food?” Poe grinned innocently.

They climbed out of bed and stayed in their pajamas, Hux in his black and grey plaid matching set, Poe in flannel pajama pants and a plain long sleeved shirt. Both had messy hair and sleepy eyes, but Hux felt comfortable, walking around like that in the Dameron’s home. He didn’t dwell upon that fact too much.

In the kitchen, Poe opened the cereal cupboard, but Hux went straight for the refrigerator. He rifled around a bit, ignoring the pair of eyes he felt watching him across the kitchen. A few moments later, Hux had an array of ingredients out on the counter and he instructed Poe rather tersely, “Put those Lucky Charms away and get some coffee going.”

Poe did as he was told, watching out of the corner of his eye as Hux expertly rifled around the kitchen and set to work. He wrinkled his nose at the frozen pie crust for exactly two seconds before deciding it was actually their best option, and then got to work on the other ingredients.

About halfway through, Poe realized that Hux was making the family a quiche, _from memory_. Suddenly, he felt a much greater appreciation (and far less annoyance). As the coffee maker dinged to let them know it was done, Poe poured a mug for himself, and one for Hux as well. Without looking up, Hux pushed the milk across the counter to Poe, knowing he’d need it for his coffee.

Poe felt winded. They were _so in sync_.

His mother was the first to emerge, and she too wore her pajamas to breakfast underneath her fluffy pink robe. “Hux, sweetheart, you didn’t have to cook for us,” she said warmly.

Hux’s cheeks pinkened and he said, “It’s nothing.”

It certainly wasn’t nothing, but Shara kept her mouth shut. Her sparkling eyes turned instead to her son, where he sat on the countertop, watching his partner busy at work in the kitchen. When Kes walked out, the room really grew loud, because he complimented the smells as soon as he set foot in the kitchen. Poe tried desperately to shut his father up, but Kes wouldn’t.

“Kid, you’re a damn good cook. I can tell already,” Kes said, lifting his mug of coffee in toast to Hux. He looked to Shara, “Aren’t we lucky?”

Hux’s cheeks were flushed, but he still managed to look completely calm and collected as he put the quiche in the oven to bake. When he stood up, Hux was relieved that nobody was looking at him. Instead, they were all focused on Poe, who still sat on the counter. Confused, Hux turned to Poe.

_Oh._

He had that doe-eyed look on his face that he seemed to wear more often around Hux. It was usually something Hux could manage, when they were home alone. He’d get a weird twist in his gut, but then it’d go away. But here, now, in the kitchen in front of Poe’s parents, he felt incredibly vulnerable and exposed. 

“He’s a really good cook,” Poe said, a lopsided grin on his face. His eyes never left Hux’s, even though he spoke to his father.

“Oh god, they’re totally getting married one day.”

Hux closed his eyes, thankful that his back was turned to most of the family. Maree was so blatant with her statement that it was almost too much for Hux to handle. But she barged her way into the kitchen anyway. 

The doe-eyed look on Poe’s face was gone, replaced with annoyance aimed directly at his sister. She smiled brightly at him in response. “Coffee please?” she asked sweetly.

Hux sipped at his own, mulling over her words.

Even when the rest of the family retreated to the living room to sip on their coffee and savor the smells of cheddar and bacon and eggs wafting through the house, Hux chose to stay in the kitchen. He said it was because he wanted to keep an eye on their breakfast, but in reality he just needed some space.

_They’re totally getting married one day._

Marriage was something Hux had thought a lot about, but not in the way most people did. Rather than thinking about it in a wistful, dream-like way, he dwelled upon it more for all the reasons why he despised it. Why should he have to prove his love on paper? Who said he’d even fall in love, anyway? And what if the government wouldn’t let him legally have what he wanted, anyway? Not to mention, weddings were an enormous waste of money.

It wasn’t worth it. It was more stress and money than it was worth.

Poe figured out about five minutes into sitting with his family that Hux had lied about his reasoning, and he returned to the kitchen like a dog with his tail between his legs. “I’m sorry,” he said softly, as soon as his bare feet hit the linoleum. “I shouldn’t have left. I didn’t even think that you might be—”

Hux was quiet for a beat. “It’s fine. I’m fine.”

“No, it’s not fine. What Maree said… it made things weird. You want to leave, I can tell. I should have said more, I —”

“Poe, shut up.”

Poe’s warm eyes met Hux’s across the kitchen. Hux held his coffee in both hands, bringing it to his lips occasionally, to sip at it. He leaned against the countertop but there was tension in his stance that wasn’t there earlier. 

He kept his gaze fixed upon Poe’s, unwavering, as he said, “I don’t want to get married.”

“Okay.”

“I mean in general. It’s nothing against you.”

“Okay.”

Poe didn’t walk closer; he wasn’t sure if he was allowed. Things felt precarious, suddenly, even though they were being as brutally honest with each other as they’d ever been.

“I already don’t want children. Is not wanting marriage going to be the dealbreaker?”

“No.”

It’s easy for Poe, in moments like these, to be honest. And he can see by the lack of cool glare in Hux’s eyes that it’s okay, to be this honest. And that it’s also okay to take a step closer to him.

“Why are you okay with this?”

“It’s not my decision to make.”

Poe set his coffee mug on the counter island, taking slow strides towards Hux. It was like he was approaching an animal, trying not to spook it. 

“It’s half your decision to make.”

He took a few more steps, closer and closer to Hux, until they faced each other. When Hux leaned against the counter, they were eye to eye. It was a strange new feeling. Poe stepped closer, nestling his way between Hux’s legs. 

“I told you what I want. I just want someone to be there with me through… _everything_. We don’t need jewelry or a party or a piece of paper to make it official.”

“But it’s something you want.”

Hux said it like a statement, but it was a question, and Poe picked up on it.

“You don’t know that.”

Hux heaved a heavy sigh. He knew enough about Poe to know he liked parties, and more than that, he was a big, sentimental sap. Hux was confident that Poe had always wanted a big fancy wedding with his family and friends all smiling and laughing around him. Meanwhile, the thought made Hux want to crawl out of his skin.

“You wanna know what I want? Totally honest?” Poe asked.

“Yes. Please.” For Hux, that would make it so much easier.

“You.”

Hux sighed again. Poe, always the idealistic one. “And?” he prodded.

“That’s it,” Poe shrugged. “My family loves you, and I’m pretty crazy about you, and everything else doesn’t really matter, in the end.”

Raising an eyebrow, Hux asked, “Even the fact that my father despises you?”

“Yeah,” Poe chuckled. “Even that. Because how much do you care what he thinks, really?”

“None.”

“Exactly!” Poe exclaimed. “Whereas I care a lot, what my family thinks.”

The room is silent as Poe watches Hux, his head tilted to the side. He drifts his hands over Hux’s waist, and dances his fingers up Hux’s chest. “You gonna let me kiss you in my parents’ kitchen?” Poe whispered.

Hux rolled his eyes, but he’d have said no if he wouldn’t let him, so Poe took his chance. He leaned in, pressing the gentlest of kisses to Hux’s mouth. Hux breathed into it, letting Poe’s touch wash all the anxiety from his body. This was okay. This was good. They were going to be alright.

“I hope you don’t think we’re going to do this the entire time the quiche is baking,” Hux smirked against Poe’s mouth.

“We could,” Poe responded.

Hux leaned away. “If Maree ever catches us doing something like this, you won’t be getting any for at least a month,” he warned.

Poe whistled. That was quite the threat — a threat he wasn’t so sure even Hux could hold himself to. He, too, could be quite insatiable.

“I’m going to get dressed, and then I’m going to have more coffee,” Hux said. It wasn’t an invitation, but it was as close as Poe was going to get.

They disappeared down the hallway together, Poe’s hands touching every inch of Hux that he could reach. And if they spent the next half-hour lazily getting changed and making out on Poe’s bed, nobody would ever need to know.

The Damerons loved the quiche, and as Poe and Hux got ready to leave, Shara extended a standing invitation to Hux to come over anytime he wanted — with or without Poe. Hux was thoroughly embarrassed, but grateful for their kindness nonetheless. It was more than his father had ever extended him - _ever_. He kept his expression carefully neutral, though let the smallest of smiles show through, a kindness he didn’t extend to just anyone. 

On the drive home, Hux sat calmly in the passenger’s seat, watching trees and signs soar past the window. It was a gloomy day, but those were Hux’s favorite. They were relaxing and more recently, Hux had also discovered the appeal of staying in and sitting around with Poe, watching television in their pajamas, tucked up under a blanket together. 

He’d changed. It only slightly terrified him, still. More than anything, it made him happy, and happiness wasn’t something Hux had felt in quite a long time. He even felt like maybe this time, it would last.

  
——

On Christmas morning, Poe woke to the smell of cinnamon wafting through the house. He smiled as he trudged sleepily downstairs, his hair rumpled and his bare feet cold on the linoleum of the kitchen. Hux stood in his own pajamas, slippers on his feet, looking put together from head to toe. Well — his hair wasn’t fully combed, it just lay flat. Poe smiled. “Morning,” he said, his voice still hoarse from sleep.

“Good morning,” replied Hux.

Poe folded himself in against Hux’s side, nuzzling him as Hux stood and sipped his coffee. The arm around Poe’s waist was warm and strong, and they lingered there for a moment. Poe was in heaven. “Smells good in here,” Poe mumbled into Hux’s robe.

“Mmm, I should hope so,” Hux mused. His lips brushed Poe’s forehead. “It’s your mother’s recipe.”

“ _My_ mother’s?”

Surprised, Poe gazed up at Hux. He would have assumed it belonged to Hux’s mother, instead. “My mother and I know when we’ve been defeated.”

Poe smiled. He lazily pressed a kiss to Hux’s jaw, a little thrill shooting through him as he realized Hux hadn’t shaved in a few days. 

“Would you like some coffee?” Hux offered.

Poe nodded, but kept himself nestled in against Hux’s side. Rather than making him step away, as Hux would have done on a normal day, Hux turned them together and with his free hand, set about making Poe a cup of coffee. The milk was already out on the counter, and it was easy for him to prepare the drink to Poe’s exact specifications. 

“Thank you,” Poe said, eagerly taking the mug from Hux.

“You’re welcome,” Hux responded.

The room was calm and serene; outside, the snow fell softly, coating the lawn with white for the first time that season. It was beautiful — picturesque, in Hux’s favorite way — and he wouldn’t have wanted the morning to go any other way.

When the kitchen timer went off, Hux served them both some cinnamon rolls and together they sat in the breakfast nook, eating. It was so quiet. Hux was already enjoying this Christmas more than he’d enjoyed one in over a decade, but something was missing. Frivolity. _Family._

He thought on that a little as they walked into the living room, dirty dishes left in the sink. They could handle those later.

Under the tree were a few gifts; they’d agreed a few weeks prior that they wouldn’t spoil each other unnecessarily, but Poe had insisted they get each other _something_. So they’d set a limit at five gifts each. Together they opened them, still curled on the sofa in their pajamas. Poe seemed pleased with everything Hux had bought him, and he was pleasantly surprised by the thoughtfulness of Poe’s gifts, in return. 

And when that was done, Poe practically draped himself across Hux on the sofa and pressed a few lazy kisses to his scruffy jaw. “Merry Christmas, babe,” Poe whispered.

“Merry Christmas, Poe,” Hux replied softly. Then, after he hesitated for just a beat, he added, “Next year, let’s invite your family.”

They’d shared their Thanksgiving traditions with him, and now Hux felt the overwhelming urge to share his Christmas traditions with them. He wanted his mother’s traditions to live on somehow, to not die with her, and the Dameron family was the best possible way he could think of doing that. 

Besides. The cinnamon rolls, while Shara’s recipe, just weren’t quite as good as when she made them herself.

**Author's Note:**

> Come say hi at armltagehux.tumblr.com!


End file.
